A MASTER of the Warwickshire Hunt has paid tribute to hunt supporter Trevor Morse after a Bedworth gyrocopter pilot was cleared of his manslaughter.

Sam Butler, a leading member of the hunt, was speaking after the not guilty verdict was delivered at the end of Bryan Griffith’s 13-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

Mr Butler said the hunting community in Warwickshire had been brought closer together by the death of “kind, gentle” Mr Morse, who was 48.

He said: “When he died we lost a very good friend. He was a good man and a great supporter of the hunt.

“I never saw any form or streak in Trevor that would cause him to do anything violent.”

Mr Morse died on March 9 last year after an incident at Long Marston airfield, near Stratford.

On the last day of the Warwickshire hunt season he had driven to the airfield to try and prevent a gyrocopter piloted by Mr Griffiths, 55, from taking off and monitoring activities from the air.

He had stood in front of the aircraft – a small version of a helicopter – and told Mr Griffiths that he was “not going anywhere”.

Panicking, Mr Griffiths attempted to take off, but as he moved forwards the gyrocopter blade struck Mr Morse, killing him instantly.

Mr Griffiths had pleaded not guilty to the charge of manslaughter by gross negligence of Mr Morse and during his trial he told the court that he feared for his life during the tense stand-off before the incident.

He also said that he had been shot at while monitoring the hunt earlier during the day. The verdict has re-ignited the debate on hunting with the Countryside Alliance claiming that the monitoring of hunts by animal rights activists should be halted.

Mr Butler added: “Whatever the verdict it will not put right what’s happened or bring Trevor back.”

And Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart said: “If there is one outcome from the events of this case it must be that the activity which led to Trevor Morse’s death is not repeated.”

The League Against Cruel Sports – whom Mr Griffiths had no links to – said that while they don’t use gyrocopters to monitor hunts the incident would not alter the fact that the public supported a hunting ban.